Signaling system.



F. B. ADAM & L. H. ARE-NS. SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED 0013.22, 1912 Patented Mar. 24, 1914* UNITED STAT [PS PAIEN T OFFICE.

FREDRIGK B. ADAM AND-LLOYD a ARENS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNORS TO FRANK ADAM ELECTRIC COMPANY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, -A CORPORATION OF MISSOURI.

SIG-N ALIN G SYSTEM.

1 Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 24,1914.

Application filed October 22, 1:312. Serial No. 727,186.

'United States, residmg at St. Louis, Missouri, have. invented a certain new and use ful Improvement in Signaling Systems, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description such as will enable others skilled in the artto which it appe'rtains to make and use the same.

Thisnvention relates to signaling systems of the type that comprise a plurality of electrically-operated signals and means for causing certain of the signalstooperate .automatically;.ata certain. period, others to operate automatically at a different period,.

andso forth, the automatic means generally governing the signals consisting of a-clock bined with the separate electric circuits -in which the diif erent groups of signals are arranged are closed automatically at certain 'periods so.

as to cause the signal'stooprate;

U ric objectof our invention is tdprovide means ofjnovel construction for permitting any signal-oi a signaling system of the character mentioned to be operated manually or i at the will of an operator without affecting or rlisturbing the automatic signal controllingineans.

Another object is to provide a signaling system controlling devicev which is I soy .designed that it: can be adjusted so as to enableit to cooperate with any .of the automatically-controlled signaling circuits of I the system.

Another object is to provide a device that combines the functions offip; push-button switch. which controls an electric circuitthat is, normally open and also the functions of i a switch that normally closes a separate and, distinct automatically-controlled electric circuit, the-device being so constructed that "when it is actuated manually to close: the push-button switclh circuit the automatically-controlled circuit will be opened simultaneously.

Anotherobject is to provide a device of the character described that comprises a movable conductingmember, a plurality of separate and distinct line contacts, each of which'is coimected to a different automatically-controllad electric circuit, a common line contact, and a separate and distinct conand controlling mechanisms. come the clock insucn a manner that cuits, the

her can be adjusted any of the separate operate with the common line contact.

Other ob ects and desirable features of i r I I tact which is connected to a manually-com trolled circuit, said conducting member bemg constructedin such a manner that it normally engages the common'line contact and one o the automatically-controlled cirmanual operation of the device causing said conducting member to move out of engagement with the automatically-j controlled circuit contact and into engagement with the manuall -c0ntrolled circuit jlin'e contact and thus close or complete the manually controlled circuit through the common hne contact. And still another-ob- I ject is to provide a device of the character 'just described that and in which the movable conducting mem so as tov cooperate with is simple and compact and distinct automatically-controlled circuit contacts; that 00- our invention will out. I We have herein illustrated our invention embodied in a bell-ringing systemthat is particularly adapted for use in schools or other public buildings in which a program or course of procedure is announced by bells that operate automatically at certain periods so as to indicate ajchange in the be hereinafter pointed program. Said system comprises a clock,

a plurality of electric circuits each of which energizes a number of bells located in difi'erent rooins of the building and an automatic {controlling means in each of said circuits, governed by the clock, for causing the bells on one circuit or in one group of rooms to ring automatically at a certain eriod,those on another circuit or in a di erent group of rooms to ring automatically at a diilerent period, and so forth.

The system comprises a number of manually-operated ldevices corresponding to the number of be ls in the system forenabling any bell in the system to be rung manually or at the will of the person who is in charge of said manually-operated devices without aflecting or disturbingthe mechanism that causes the bells to ring automatically,saidmanually-operatecl devices being grouped together .and' each device comprising means for enabling itto be connected up to any of the automatically-controllcd circuits of the system by simply making a slight adjustment in the device. llVe do not wish it above described 'for use in ofFig. 5; andFig.

tional view taken on the line7 7 of Fig. 5,. t e

mon line Contact, and also rality ofautomatic circuit-controlling -35.

to be understood, however, that our invention is limited to a device of the character a bell-ringing system for the invention is applicable to various kinds of signaling systems.

Figure l of the drawings is a diagrammatic view of abell-rmging system equippe with devices constructed in accordance with our invention; Fig. 2 is a side elevational view of one of devices that normally closes or completes the particular automatically-controlled circuit in which it is arranged but which opens or Ioreaks'said automaticallycontrolled circuit and simultaneously closes a separate manually-controlled bell-ringing circuit when the device is actuated; Fig.3 is a side elevational view of said device showing the movable conducting member thereof. shifted into position to open the automaticallycontrolled circuit and to close the manuallycontrolled bell-ringing circuit; Fig. t is a vertical longitudinal sectional view of the device shownin Fig. 2; Fig. 5 is a top plan view of said device; Fig. 6' is a detail vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 7 is a horizontal seclooking in the direction indicated by arrow.

Referringto the drawings which illustrate the preferred form of our invention, designates a clock, and B designates a plu members governed by said clock for causing circuits 1, 2, 3 and 4 to operate automatically at certain periods, the bells in circuit 1 ringing at certain periods so as to form onev those in circuit 2 at a, different as to form another program, and those in circuits 3 and 4; at dilierent times so as to form still other programs, it being, of course, understood that each of said auto matically-controlled circuits 1, 2, 3 and L energizesdifferent sets or groups of bells located in different rooms o the building in which the system is installed so that the bells'in rooms 1, 2 and 3, for example, which are on circuit 1 will ring simultaneously at certain periods, those that are in rooms 3, 4 and 5 which are on circuitfl will ring simultaneously at diiferent'periods, and so forth.

While we have herein. illustrated a system that comprises four automatically-controlled circuits, it will, of course, be unden- P m, perlod v so stood that it is immaterial so tar as'our in:-

the manually-operated bellsarranged in separate and distinct electric mally establishing menace that controls the circuits 1, 21, 3 and 4:. The manually-operated devices preferably correspond in number to the number of bells in the system so that one manuallypperated device will be provided for each hell, but, if desired, the systemcould be so arranged that one manually-operated device could control several bells. Preferably, said manually-operated devices are mounted on a panel board or other suitable supporting structure in one room. of the building so as to enable the person in charge or" same to manually-"ring any bell in the system.

Referringrto Figs. 2tc T of the drawings, inclusive, which illustrate the details of construction of one oi the manually-operated controlling devices, all of which are of the same construction, 0 designates member formed of insulating material and provided with spring-contacts w, m, y, 2, arranged longitudinally thereof and terminating beyond the end of themember C, each of said contacts being provided with a binding-post 10 so as to enable the automaticallywon trolled circuits 1, 2, 3 and 4; to be electrically connected to the contacts to, w, y, e, respectively. In addition to the contacts just described the' member 0 is provided with a; spring contact e which we will term a comwith aspring contact to which we'will term a companion contact or a manually-controlled circuit contact, the cognition line contact a being electrically connected to one leg or branch of an electric circuit 5 that leads to the clock A and in which a bell 6 is arranged, sai circuit being energized by a battery 7. l-Vhen electrical connection is established between the common line contact n and one of the contacts w, w, gee, one of the automatically-controlled circuits will be closed so far'as the manually-operated controlling device is concerned. The spring contact or companion contact a on the member 0 is electrically connected to a branch line 8 that leads to the battery 7 as shown in Fig. 1, so that when electrical connection is established between the contacts a and a the manually-controlled circuit of which the line 8 forms one branch, will be energized and thus cause the hell 6 to ring. Normally, however,,;this manuallycontrolled bell circuit is op'en or inoperative, and one or another of the contacts w, w, y, z, is electrically connectedt to the common line contact '0 so as to complete the automatically-controlled circuit with which the particular device is used.

' The means that we prefer to use for nor- 1 electrical connection between the common line contact 1; and one or another of; the contacts' w, m, y, 2, consists of a movable conducting member D carried by a blocl" E of insulating material that is secured t a springactuated plunger F za jzits cotiperating "which extends longitudinally through the body portionC of the device. A coiled expansion spring 12. is interposed between the head 13, on the plunger F and the bottom or the socket'in the body portion G into which the head or finger-piece l3 rojects, as shown in Fig, 4, so as to norma ly hold the, conducting member D in the position shown in Fig. 9 and thuscause a depending lip 14: on the conducting member to engage one or another of the automatically controlled circuit line contacts w, m, y, z, and thus complete the circuit through the common line contact c that bears'against the conducting member D. When thefin erpiece 13 of the device is pushed inwar ly, as shown in Fi 3, the conducting member I) engages the contact u of the manuallyvcontrolled circuit, thereby completing said circuit througlvthe common line contact which, always remainsin engagement with the conducting member D, the depending lip 14; on ,the member D being so proportioned that it moves out of engagement with line contact and thus opens the 11llpmlililcilllyCOHtIOllBd circuit just berelation to the body portion 0 of the (lo-- member D moves into engagement fo're sal to close the manuezith the contact at so as ally-controlled circuit 8. In o-rdpr that the device may be connected up to either of the automatically-controlled circuitsil, 2, 3 and 4, we have constructed the movable conducting member D in such a. manner that it can be turned or rota-ted so as to bring the depending Ii 14 thereon into engagement with either 0 the line contacts or, re, 3 2, and have also provided means for locking the member D in adjusted position. In the embodiment of our invention herein shown the plunger F that carries the conducting member D is screwed into thefingar-piece 13, thus permitting said plunger and conducting member D to be rotated with vice, and an adjustable locking plug 15 is mounted in the conducting member D so as to, project into one of aplurality of holes 16 infthe body portion C of the device and thus lock the conducting member D in adjusted position, as shown in Figs. 4 and 6. l q'm' of the holes 16 are arranged opposite the line contacts to, 12:, y, 2, as shown in Fig.

7, so as to permit the member D to be locked in such 51 position that the lip 14 thereon tieular automatically-controlled circuit that lids been selected, and one of the holes 16 is El-mnged opposite the common line contact Ir to as to lock the conducting member D in a neutral position or in such a position that the lip 14 thereon will not cotiperatewith either of the line-contacts 111, cc, a.

All of the manuallypperated controlling degices just described are preferably mounton a panel board or other suitable supwill cooperate with thecontact ofthe parare connected to the trolled circuits of the system, thereby overporting structure and the line contacts w, a, y, z, 0 said devices are connected to the automatically-controlled circuits 1, 2, 3 and 4, as shown in Fig. 1. The common line contact e of each device is connected to one side of the particular bell 6 with which said device is used, and the contact a of each device is connected to a common battery circuit 8, as shown in Fig. 1'. All of the devices that cooperate with the bells which it is desired to have controlled by the circuit 1 are so adjusted that the depending lips 14: of the movable conducting member D will cooperate with the'contacts w. The devices that cooperate with the bells which it is desired to have cont-rolled by the circuit 2 have their conducting members D adjusted in such a position that the lips 1 theneon will cooperate with the line contacts ac, the devices that cooperate with the bells which it is desired to have controlled by the circuit 3 being so adjusted that the depending lips on their conducting members D will cooperate with the line contacts 3 and the devices that cooperate with the bells which it is desired to have controlled by the circuit 4 being so adjusted that the depending lips on their conducting members D will coilperate with the contacts The clock A and automatic controlling members on the different circuits to ring automatically at certain periods and whenever it is desired to ring a particular bell of the system manually this can be accomplished by simply pressing inwardly on the fingerpiece 13 of the device that coiiperates with or controls that particular bell, the inward movemen of said finger-piece causing the conductinig member D to more inwardly so as to break or open the automatically-coin trolled ci cuit andsimultaneously close the manually-controlled bell circuit 8. If it is desired to change a bell from one circuit to another, for example, from the circuit 1 to the circuit 2, the conducting member D of the manually-operated device that controls that particular bell will be turned slightly so that the depending lip 14 thereon will cooperate With the line contact 02 that is connected with the circuit 2 instead of with the line contact to that is connected with the circuit 1.

B cause the bells From the foregoing it will be seen that in I a system of the character -above-described the devices that permit the bells to be rung manually comprise as an integral part there of push-button switches and contacts that automatically-con using coming the necessity of a controlling or selecting apparatus separate and distinct from the push-button switches that operate th bells manually. In other words, our improved system comprises manually-operated bell ringing devices, each of which combines the functions of a push-button switch and the functions of a program selector or selecting device which can be adjusted easily so as to enable any bell of the system to be placed in any of the;lantomaticallybontrolled circuits of the system. Furthermore, the manually operated bell-ringing devices are so constructed that all of the contacts of each device are kept clean by rubbing against and along one another under pressure when the device is actuated, thereby insuring a reliable conducting device which is not apt to get out of order or become inoperative.

Having thus described our inventiomwhat we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A combined switch and circuit-closing device comprising a normally stationary means that closes one'of a group of circuits and which is adapted to be actuated at the will of the operator so as to open said circuit and close an independent circuit, said means being so designed that it can be adjusted to cooperate with any desired circuit of said group of circuits without rendering it inoperative with relation to said independent circuit.

2. A. combined switch and circuit-closing device provided with a set of contacts, a common line contact, a companion contact, and a normally stationarymeans that es-' tablishes electrical connection between the common line contact and one contact of saidset of contacts but which is adapted to be moved so as to open the circuit in which the said contact of said set is arranged and establish electrical connection between the common line contact and the companion contact, said means being so constructed that it can be adjusted so as to normally establish electrical connection between the common line contact and any one contact of said set of contacts.

3. A combined switch and circuit-closing device provided with a common line contact,

a set of cooperating contacts, a nmnuallyoperated movable conducting member which is normally at rest and establishes electrical connection between the co mon line contact and one contact of said set but which can be arranged so as to cooperate with any desired contact of said set, and a separate contact that is adapted to be engaged by said conducting member so as to cooperate with the common line contact when said member is moved.

i. A combined switch and circuit-closing device provided with a common line contact, a set of coiiperating contacts, a manuallyopcrated movable conducting member that normally establishes electrical connection be tween the common line contact and one contact at said set, said conducting member bemg normally at rest, and a separate contact inc inns that is adapted to be engaged by said conducting member so as to cooperate with the common line contact when said member is moved, said conducting member being ad justable so that it can be arranged in position to cooperate with any one contact of said set of contacts;

A combined switch and circuit-closing device comp 'ising a body portion. crovided with a set of contacts, a common line contact, a manually-operated movable conducting member that is normally stationary and which always remains in with said common line contact, said conducting member being provided with a portion that engages one contact of said set when said member is in its normal position but which can be adjusted to cooperate with any one contact of said set of contents, and separate contact on said. body portion in position to be engaged by said conducting member when said member is moved.

6. A combined switch and circuit'closing device comprising a body portion provided with a set of contacts, a common line con tact, a manually-anointed movable conducting member that normally stationary which always remains in engagement with said common line contact, said conducting member being provided with a portion tha; engages one contact of said set when said member is in its normal position, a separate contact on said body portion. arranged position to be engaged by said conducting member when said member is moved, said conducting member being adjustable so that it can be arranged to cooperate with any one contact of said set of contacts, aid means for retaining said member in adjusted position. I

7. A combined push-b1 ton. switch and circuit-closing device comprisinga body pom tion provided with a set of contacts that project beyond one end of same, normally stationary plunger body pOl'ill.O-t]')f6- vided at .one end with a conducting member that normally engages onecontact of said set but which can beadjusted so as to co operate with any contact of said scha com mon line contact on said body portion that always remains in engagement with said conducting member, and a separate con act on said body portion tern'iinating beyond set of contacts and arranged in the path of movement of said conducting member, said plunger being adapted to be actuated so as 'to cause the conducting member on same to engage said separate contact.

8. A combined push-button switch and circuit-closing device comprising body 101' tion provided with a of contacts that project beyond one end at same, manuallyoperatcd plunger in said body portion provided at one end with a condostint member that normally engages one of said II! 9. rob

1 Eli set, a common line contact on said body portlon that always remains, in engagement with said conducting member, a separate contact on said body portion terminating beyond said set of contacts and arranged in th -ath of movement; of said conducting member so that said conducting member wilt engage same When the plunger is actuated, said conducting member being adapted to be adjusted with relation to said body portion so as to enable it to cooperate with any one contact of said set of contacts, and means 't'or locking said member in adjusted positionj 9. A combined push-button switch and circuit-closing device consisting of a body portion of insulating material provided with a set of spring contacts that terminate beyond the inner end of said member, a manz.|aliy-operated plunger mounted in said body portion and provided at its front end with a finger-piece by which said plungerll can be moved rearwardly with relation to I said body, a conducting-member on the rear having an extenslon nesses, this seventeenth day of October, 1912. 40

FREDRICK B. ADAM. LLOYD H. ARENS. \Vitnesses WELLs L. CHURCH, Gnonoic BAKEWELL. 

